The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-02-04
AFTER.DINNER ORATORY.
A European Custom That Il Gainin
Ground in the United states.


A lump of soft coal cracked on the
hearth in the private room of the pres
ident of the New York Central railroad
the other morning, and the darting
flames gave a cheerful look to the
spacious apartment. At a broad, fiat
desk Mr.. Chauncey Depew sat, busily
engaged in signing his name to passes
when the Herald representative en-
tered. After few minutes CONVERSE
ton something was said about dinners,
At the mention of this talismanic word
swee; smile played about the corners
of his mouth; he laid his pen down, and
throwing himself back in his chair, with
his hands folded over the receptacle of
so many good dinners. said:
dinners! Public dinners are be-
coming an institution in this country.
The day is not far distant when the coun-
try will recognize the influence of after
dinner speeches. The lecture platform,
which at one time attracted to it the
greatest men in the nation. has become
the stamping-ground OF the small
talker with the stereopticon. There are
few public occasions upon which the
orator is given an opportunity. Indeed.
oratory no longer enjoys the place it
did in public estimation. The newspa-
pers are every thing. The press has
seized the scepter Of the orator and lee
turer.
'Just look into the great national
assemblies. Take the House of Repre-
sentatives at Washington, for instance.
The day of speeches is past. The print
ing press is more effective than the
voice for putting speech before the
members. But all this is bad Tor the
interchange of ideas. 1t disposes with
all friction. Now. nothing keeps the
public so wide awake as the clashing Of
IDEAS. Just see how the dinner affects
this. Mr.. So-and-so is a great believer
in project. 1t is his hobby-he rises
at the table to answer to toast, and
ventilates it. His neighbor entertains
a different opinion, and he rises to tear
it to shreds. believing he will toss it to
the winds. to be irremedibly scattered.
Now. without the formality of a debate,
a great question may have been brought
up and discussed. The press seizes up
omit and against it. Like magic the
whole country in weeks time is
thinkingit over"
"Then you believe matters of great
public interest will be discussed at
these dinners?'' asked the Hcralds
representative.
Il do, indeed. In Michigan. you
may have noticed. there was a dinner
given, to which all the prominent peo-
pie went, from the farmer to the polit-
ical chicftains. Men of all kinds had
an opportunity to speak. You see. if n
mans views are unpopular he is shut
down upon, and. if his views are
forcibly presented, men will listen at
tentively to him. You will note how
many dinners are being given by one
association or another at which there is
speaking afterward, as matter Of
course. In Europe, when any great
enterprise is to be started. a public din
ner is given, at which it is announced.
The custom is being taken up here,
and I think before long that associa-
tons, clubs, societies and promoters of
enterprises will resort to the banquet
as the best means Of getting men to-
gether to set them thinking"
What is your personal experience
of after-dinncr speaking?"
well, l don't know how man who
can talk at all can have better chance
than ut dinner to fire into the camp
of his enemies. What ugly things you
can say. Ny" At this moment Mr..
Depew passed his hand over his mouth.
1t was an impressive gesture. When
the hand fell a smile had been swept
away.
Il have" he continued, "several
times in my life been able to pour red
hot shot at my foes. and in such = way
that they could not reply. Yes. indeed,
a good speaker can do effective work
after a dinner; he can amuse and do
much besides to make the country
think on the topics of the day. lam
strong believer in the dinner and after